Eating problems

People with cancer may have different dietary needs. Some people feel well and able to eat normally. For others, weight loss or a poor appetite were symptoms that led to their diagnosis. If you had eating problems before you were diagnosed, you may need support to improve your diet. Speak to your doctor or dietitian before you start treatment.

Some eating problems may be related to the cancer itself. Depending on where the cancer is in your body, it can cause:

• sickness (nausea or vomiting)
• pain
• poor digestion

The cancer may also change the way your body uses the food you eat. This means that you do not get all the nutrients you need.

Some cancer treatments can cause eating problems. Some problems are temporary and improve when you finish treatment. Others may last longer. Your doctor, specialist nurse or dietitian will advise you on what might help.

Some types of surgery can slow down your digestion. If you have surgery to your mouth, throat, oesophagus (gullet), stomach or bowel, you may need to adjust to changes in your eating pattern.

After some types of surgery, you may only be able to eat soft foods.

Radiotherapy to your head, neck or chest area can cause:

• changes to taste
• swallowing difficulties
• a dry mouth
• a sore mouth and throat
• blisters in your mouth
• thick saliva.

Radiotherapy to the abdomen (tummy) or pelvic area (the area between the hips) can make you feel sick or be sick. It can also cause diarrhoea.

Common side effects of some chemotherapy treatments include:

• loss of appetite
• feeling sick or being sick
• constipation
• diarrhoea
• a sore mouth
• changes to taste.

Targeted therapies can affect your appetite or your ability to eat. Problems might include changes to taste, a dry or sore mouth or feeling sick. 

Immunotherapy can cause side effects such as diarrhoea, nausea or a reduced appetite. These can affect your appetite and eating.

Sometimes cancer or cancer treatment causes eating problems that mean you cannot eat or drink enough to maintain your weight. Your cancer doctors or dietitian may suggest artificial nutritional support. This is when you are given nutrients through a tube. This tube may go either into the stomach or bowel (enteral nutrition), or into a vein (parenteral nutrition).

You may feel self-conscious about eating at home or out with family or friends. You may worry that changes in your eating will affect your relationships with your partner, family or friends. Or you may be anxious about what people think of your eating problems.

Many people find that it helps to talk to someone close to them. If you find it difficult to talk about your feelings with your family, you could speak to your doctor, specialist nurse or GP. There are ways they can support you.

We are committed to making our website as accessible as possible, to make sure that everyone can use it.

We have information about cancer and eating problems in over 16 languages, and in other formats including audiobooks, and easy read.

If we don't have what you are looking for, you can ask for information to be translated for free or provided in a format to suit you. Email us at cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk or call us on 0808 808 00 00.